Rail-joint



W. M. RYAN.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6. I919.

Patented Feb. 17,1920.

an uewfoz I WZZZafizJ Zflyam M 8 Jwk WILLIAM M. RYAN, OF LEAKEY, TEXAS.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Application filed October 6, 1919. Serial No. 328,888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. RYAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leakey, in the county of Real and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto improvement-s in rail joints and has for one of its objectsto provide a tie or bond for the ends of two abutting rails which will lock the ends together in a manner that one rail end cannot become displaced with relation to the adjoining rail end.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate the necessity for the use of nuts and bolts and fish bars and fish plates in connection with the joint at the ends of the rails.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rail joint which will efiectively lock the ends of the rails together and in such a manner as to permit the expansion and contraction of the rails and at the same time maintain a perfect joint.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a rail joint in which all the ends of the rails can be made exactly the same thereby reducing the amount of machinery necessary for manufacturing the joints to a minimum.

Further objects and details of the invention will appear as described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and hereafter set forth and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, forming part of this specification, like reference numerals designate corrresponding parts throughout the several views, in which,

Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating the abutting ends of two rails laid in place and employing my improved rail joint;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4.- is a perspective view of one end of the member intermediate the ends of the rail employed in my rail joint.

In the drawings, the reference numerals 10 and 11 indicate in general two rails using my improved rail joint. The web 12 and base 13 of each of the rails, is cut away in a suitable manner, as indicated at 14: and 15 in the ends of each of the rails and the webs are slotted at 16 and 17. The slots 16 and 17 at their inner ends are out downwardly toward the base 13 of the rails, as shown at 18 and 19. The heads of the rails 10 and 11 are shown provided with projections or tongue members 20 and 21 which may be made any desired length for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The intermediate locking member 22 may be made in such a shape as to conform with the section of the rail and is adapted to fill in the gap left by the cut away portions at 14 and 15. This'member 22 is illustrated with a groove 23 in its top which cooperates with the projections or tongues 20 and 21 and may be milled throughout the entire length of the top of the member 22 if desired, but as shown, is of sufficient length to receive the projections 0n the rail heads. The member 22 is formed with extensions 2% and 25 having downwardly projecting ends 26 and 27 which occupy the slots 16 and 1'? in the webs of the rails.

The operation of my rail joint is as follows: Assuming rails 10 and 11 are in position and the ends are to be fastened, this may be done by positioning the locking member with its groove 23 covering the projections or tongues 20 and 21 and upon these as a pivot the member may be swung downwardly until it is in the position shown in the drawings. In this position the member 22 is spiked to the'ties in the same manner as the rails and the projections 26 and 27 will pre vent any substantial longitudinal play; the projections or tongue and groove joint 2021 and 23 will prevent lateral play; and the member 22, in conjunction with the various locking engagements, will prevent vertical play, thus holding the ends of the rails in a substantial and solid joint.

' The intermediate locking member 22 may also be placed in position by sliding it laterally into position, in which case a slight resiliency of the rail head and rail is to be relied upon and the projections 20, 21 can be made short enough so as to allow the member 22 to pass under them and thereafter to engage with the groove or aperture 23.

It will be noted that the members may be fit in place in such a manner as to allow a slight play longitudinally of the rail thereby to provide for expansion and contraction of the rail due to variations in temperature.

It is within the scope of my invention to make variations in the shape of the member 22 and corresponding cut-away portions of the rail members 10 and 11, as it is obvious that this member need not be made to extend through the base of the rails and the engagement of the top of the member by the tongues and groove may be reversed, if desired, and still fall within the spirit and scope of my invention which isset forth in the following claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a rail joint, the combination of the meeting ends of two rails each having portions in the ends thereof cut away laterally through them to form a gap between the rails, and a locking member adapted to be positioned within the gap made by the portions cut away after the rails have been fastened in place and to hold the ends of the rails against vertical, longitudinal or lateral play.

2. Ina rail joint, the combination of the meeting ends of two rails each provided with a recess in their ends, adapted to form a gap between the rails, means on the ends of the rails within the recesses adapted to form a pivot, a locking member adapted to be positioned within said gap and provided with means adapted to engage with said means on the rails whereby it can be swung into locking position in the gap.

3. In a rail joint, the combination of the meeting ends of two rails each having portions in the ends thereof cut away to form a gap between the rails, projections formed upon the ends of said rails within the cut away portions thereof, a locking member adapted to be positioned within the gap made by the portions cut away and provided with a recess for receiving said projections and forming a locking engagement therewith.

4:. In a rail joint, the combination of the meeting ends of two rails having portions cut away to form a gap between portions of the rails and having slots formed in the rails continuing from the cut away portion, a locking member adapted to be positioned within said gap, extensions on said locking member adapted to be positioned within sald slots for the purpose set forth.

5. In a rail joint, the combination of meeting ends of two rails having portions cut away to form a gap between the ra ls, a locking member adapted to be posltloned within said gap, means associated with said member adapted to engage the ends of rails in the upper part of the gap in a manner to prevent lateral play of the rail, and means at the ends of said member adapted to cooperate with means at the ends of the gap formed between the rails adapted to prevent vertical and substantial longitudinal play of the rail. I

6. In a rail joint, the combination of meeting ends of two rails having portions of the same shape cut laterally through each rail end to form a gap between the rails and a locking member for the rails adapted to be positioned within said gap after the rails have been fastened in place.

7. In a rail joint, the combination of the meeting ends of two rails having portions of each cut away laterally through them to form a gap between the rails and a locking member for the rails adapted to be positioned within the gap after the rails have been fastened in place.

8. In a rail joint, the combination of the meeting ends of two rails and a locking 'member for the rails comprising a single element having the same widths as the corresponding portions of the rails between which it is placed throughout its length, and having-its end portions out laterally, whereby it can be positioned between the ends of the rails after the rails have been fastened in place. V

9. In a rail joint, the combination of the meeting ends of two rails and a locking member for holding the ends against vertical, longitudinal, or lateral play having its ends cut laterally whereby it can be positioned by a sidewise movement between said ends after the rails have been fastened in place. 7. r V,

1 WILLIAM M. RYAN. 

